imac 24 lcd panel pricelist
Testing conducted by Apple in March 2021 using preproduction 24-inch iMac systems with Apple M1 chip and 8-core GPU, as well as production 3.0GHz 6-core Intel Core i5-based 21.5-inch iMac systems with Radeon Pro 560X with 4GB of GDDR5 memory, all configured with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD. Open source project built with prerelease Xcode 12.5 with Apple Clang 12.0.5, Ninja 1.10.0.git, and CMake 3.16.5. Affinity Photo 1.9.1 tested using the built-in benchmark version 1900. Performance tests are conducted using specific computer systems and reflect the approximate performance of iMac.
Magic Keyboard with Touch ID is included with the 24‑inch iMac systems with Apple M1 chip and 8‑core GPU and is available as an option on systems with 7‑core GPU.
The external design of the iMac had not changed much in 13 years, with minor alterations to screen size or aspect ratio being the most noticeable updates. The new 24-inch iMac breaks that cycle with a new thin and vibrant lineup.
The redesigned iMac replaces the 21.5-inch iMac 4K that ran Intel processors. A few versions of the original iMac are still available for legacy users and education markets looking for low entry prices.
Apple announced it would transition its entire Mac lineup to Apple Silicon within two years during its 2020 WWDC. The design changes for the new iMac were possible only because of Apple"s use of the M1 processor.
The 24-inch iMac is 11.5mm thick — about the same thickness as the original iPhone. It no longer has a prominent chin with an Apple logo, and gone are the thick black bezels surrounding the display. The 2021 iMac is a slim and light desktop PC with seven color options and powerful Apple Silicon.
The desktop stand is the same muted color as the faceplate and can be traded for a VESA mount at purchase. It doesn"t have an adjustable height, but the entire iMac can be tilted for better viewing angles.
The colorful design bleeds over to its peripherals as well. The magnetic power cable is color-matched to the vibrant back panel, and the keyboard and mouse have colored highlights to match.
At less than 10 pounds, this desktop is easy to move around. Apple anticipated this with a new magnetic power connector. Users aren"t exactly expected to pop one of these iMacs out at a cafe, but the plug-and-play nature of its power cable means carrying an iMac to and from the office is not only feasible but easy.
Apple increased the resolution to match the size of the new display. Moving from 21.5 inches to 24 inches necessitated an increase from 4K to 4.5K to maintain Retina resolution. It is 4480 by 2520 pixels with a 218 PPI.
Users can enjoy their 4K iTunes content with color-accurate reproduction and excellent sound. Apple has packed six dynamic speakers into the 24-inch iMac monitor. Two pairs of force-canceling woofers are balanced with a high-performance tweeter, which works together to create room-filling sound.
Apple says the new iMac supports spatial audio when playing video with Dolby Atmos. This means that all audio will sound like it"s coming from a specific direction around you, and when you turn your head, you"ll still perceive audio from the correct direction.
Apple hasn"t explained exactly how this will work with the iMac considering all of the speakers are in front of the user. Spatial audio is a feature in AirPods Pro and AirPods Max that creates a 3D sound space within the listening environment. As the user turns their head, it sounds like the audio is still coming from the iPhone or iPad speakers.
Native ARM-based apps and translated Intel apps aren"t the only software users can run either. Thanks to the M1, users can run iPhone and iPad apps natively on the iMac.
There are two versions of the 24-inch iMac — a cheaper one with fewer ports and fewer color options and a more expensive one with slightly better performance. The M1 on the cheaper model has an 8-core CPU and a 7-core GPU and can be configured with up to 1TB of storage and 16GB of RAM. The more expensive model has an 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU and can be configured with 2TB of storage and 16GB of RAM.
The 24-inch iMac scored 1729 on the single-core metric and 7459 on the multi-core metric. This was achieved with the base 8-core CPU and 7-core GPU M1 processor.
When compared to the 2019 21.5-inch iMac running Intel with an Intel Core i7 processor, the M1 runs 56% faster when compared to single-core performance. The M1 is 24% faster when compared to multi-core.
The ports included with the 24-inch iMac differ depending on which model customers choose. Both models have two USB 4/Thunderbolt ports, but only the more expensive model has two additional USB 3 ports.
There is a headphone jack on the left side of the iMac because there wasn"t enough depth to place it in the back. A headphone jack needs 14mm of space, where the 24-inch iMac has only 11.5mm of depth.
A color-matched Magic Keyboard comes with both iMacs, but only the more expensive model has integrated Touch ID in the keyboard. Customers can upgrade their keyboard or add a color-matched Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad at checkout.
Thanks to the efficiency of the M1 processor, Apple was arguably able to execute the most significant overhaul to its consumer-focused Mac in years. The 24-inch iMac ditches the aging design of its predecessor for a thin and colorful exterior reminiscent of the iPad Pro.
The screen increased from 21.5 inches to 24 inches with a 4.5K display. The entire computer rests in the chin while the rear of the display houses the speaker components.
The thin design doesn"t leave much room for ports, so the usual plethora of ports has been reduced to four USB type-C ports. The two USB 4/Thunderbolt ports are standard on every 24-inch iMac, but the additional two USB 3 ports are only included on higher configurations.
The iMac has a newly designed power cable that uses magnets to keep it in place. This cable runs to a power brick that has an Ethernet port built-in, but it is only included by default on higher-end iMacs. Moving Ethernet to the power brick enables a simplified port configuration on the machine and better cable management for cables that are rarely touched.
There are two variants of the M1 processor depending on which tier of iMac you choose. Both have 8-core CPUs, with the difference being 7-core or 8-core GPUs.
Our testing showed the M1 processor handily beat out the base model Intel-based iMacs in single and multi-core operations. The M1 could not compete against dedicated graphics in the 27-inch iMac, but the score reflects its ability to handle graphics well.
The 24-inch iMac enters the market as an un-upgradable appliance computer. It doesn"t replace a professional workstation like the 27-inch iMac or iMac Pro, but it didn"t need to. To us, it seems this is a desktop targeted at bringing iOS lovers to the Mac.
For most, there"s a lot to like with the first Apple Silicon iMac. At any level, it is an excellent machine that won"t appeal to the most power-hungry or the Intel-bound. For those folks, you probably need to wait it out for another generation or two, as the M-series chip is ultimately incremented, and your Intel-stuck software migrates to Apple Silicon.
And, for the devout, there"s a lot of call-backs to older Macs, like color, white bezels that started on the G4 iMac, and near-silent computing continuing to have a renaissance, after getting left behind more than 15 years ago with the G5 and Intel Macs.
The 24-inch iMac with a 4.5K display ships with a base configuration of an M1 with an 8-core CPU, 7-core GPU, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage for $1,299. Customers can increase the storage up to 1TB, double the RAM, or add a Touch ID Magic Keyboard at checkout.
Cheapest of the new range is the $1,299 iMac. It has a version of the M1 chipset with an 8-core CPU and a 7-core GPU, paired with 8GB of unified memory. That"s shared between CPU and GPU, and as we"ve seen before it can pack a bigger punch than you might expect from x86-based PCs and their RAM. If you want, you can upgrade to 16GB instead.
There"s 256GB of storage inside, upgradable to 512GB or 1TB, while on the front you get the new 24-inch 4.5K Retina display. Connectivity includes two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports (USB Type-C) – capable of driving a single external display at up to 6K resolution at 60Hz – and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
On the wireless side, there"s WiFi 6 802.11ax and Bluetooth 5.0. The power brick is separate, with a magnetic connector to the back of the iMac itself. Gigabit ethernet is optional.
The best iMac prices can sometimes get you quite a big saving on Apple"s sleek all-in-one desktop computer setup. Apple itself doesn"t do iMac sales, or any sales really, and its products tend to retain their price over time. But at third-party retailers, iMac prices are often cut – sometimes quite dramatically.
Below, we provide details of the iMacs that are available now with direct links to the best prices depending on where you"re located. Apple itself now only sells the April 2021 24in iMac, but other retails are still offering 2020 and 2019 models, sometimes at quite a reduced price. For the full specs of each model, scroll down to the bottom of this guide.
If you"re not yet decided on taking advantage of the best iMac prices, Apple has other options to consider too. You could go for one of the best Mac mini deals and pair the compact computer with one of the best monitors for Mac mini. Or if you"re looking for something more portable, consider checking out the best MacBook Pro deals.
CPU:Apple M1 chip | Graphics:8-core GPU 16-core Neural Engine | RAM:8GB unified memory/16GB unified memory | Storage:256GB SSD/512GB SSD/1TB SSD/2TB SSD | Screen:24-inch, 4480 by 2520 pixels, 4.5K Retina display
The latest iMac is this 24in 2021 device which boasts super fast performance thanks to Apple"s M1 chip. We were certainly impressed by the computer"s speed when we reviewed it, and we love the sleek look and colours too. Some may prefer a larger screen, in which case you might want to consider the 2020 iMac further down.
There are two iterations of this iMac, both coming with a 24-inch 4.5K Retina display, an 8-core CPU and up to 16GB RAM. The base model comes with two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports, and 1TB storage, and will set you back $1,299/£1,249 at retail price. The next model offers two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports and two USB 3 ports and up to 2TB storage, and starts at $1,499/£1,449.
So, in this price context, what would constitute a good iMac deal? Well, we"ve seen the entry-level M1 iMac price fall as much as $70, to just $1,229. Thatwas in March 2022 over at Amazon. In the UK, the lowest we"ve seen the price iMac price drop to was £1,129, a saving of £100, also at Amazon. If you see a price much lower than that, it may be a renewed model, but it"s worth checking.
This 2020 version of the 27-inch iMac remains a bit of a beast. As well as that big 27-inch 5K display, you can get up to 8TB of storage, as well as nice upgrades to the mics and webcams. The design of the 27-inch didn"t change from previous iterations, so if cutting edge design is also top of your checklist, you may think the 2021 M1 24-inch iMac looks sleeker. But this is a powerhouse for digital creatives like video editors or graphic designers.
Best of all, since the release of the 2021 M1 iMac, there have been more iMac deals on the 27-inch version. The 27-inch iMac price at launch started at $1,799/£1,799. That"s for a six-core, 10th Gen Intel Core i5 with 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD and a Radeon Pro 5300 GPU with 4GB of GDDR6 memory. The mid-range model came with 512GB SSD storage and a Radeon Pro 5300 with 4GB of GDDR6 memory, and sold for $1,999/£1,999.
The highest range model offered an eight-core i7 processor, AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT, and that was for $2,299/£2,299. How much can you expect to save in the best iMac deals? We"ve seen up to $200/£200 off each configuration over the last two years, so check the current prices linked above.
With the release of the new M1 24-inch iMac at a starting price of $1,299/£1,249, getting the 21.5-inch iMac, which is basically based on the 2017 model, at a price of $1,099/£1,099, doesn"t make a whole lot of sense. This 2019 model is also quite hard to come by new today, but if you do find it at a significantly reduced price you might want to consider it.
This cheaper iMac still has plenty to offer if you don"t need the cutting edge technology, and if you"re willing to scout around for a great iMac deal. It is certainly a great buy if you"re willing to get a guaranteed, refurbished model, which can go for as low as the $700 mark. It"s a good, solid iMac, but if you"re willing to pay a bit more, the 2021 M1 iMac is staring you right in the eye.Which iMac should I get in 2022?As of 2022, you can only buy the latest iMac M1 (2021) direct from Apple"s website. However, you can still find earlier iMac models from other retailers online, and often with significant discounts.
For the latest specs, and the performance of Apple"s own M1 chip, you"ll want to look for the best iMac prices on the 2021 M1 device. But for a good iMac deal, or if you want a larger screen, the 2021 27in iMac is well worth looking at. iMacs earlier than that area really only worth buying now if you find a very good deal – perhaps on a renewed model from a reliable seller.
The entry level iteration of the new M1 iMac has a 24-inch, 4.5K Retina display, and 8-core at $1,299/£1,249. The larger 2020 iMac offers a 27-inch 5K Retina display and (up to) 10-core Intel i9 processor at $1,799/£1,799.
Just looking at these base specs, and not mentioning ports, RAM and storage, you can get the new entry-level M1 iMac (2021) for only $200/£200 more than the knocking-on-the-door-of out of date 21.5-inch model. Of course, if you get a great cheap iMac deal on the 21.5-inch model, it"s still a good option as a general desktop / secondary PC. But if you"re willing to spend a little bit more, you can be assured to get a whole lot back in return if you plump for the new Apple iMac (M1, 2021).
As for the 27-inch version, as you can see from the following detailed specs, this is squarely aimed at the digital creative professional, and is well worth trying to get at a decent price.The 24-inch iMac (M1, 2021) specs$1,299/£1,249: 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores; 7-core GPU; 8GB RAM (up to 16GB); 256GB SSD (up to 1TB); 4.5K Retina display; 500 nits brightness; 1080p FaceTime HD camera with M1 image signal processor; two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports; Magic Keyboard.
$1,499/£1,449: 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores; 7-core GPU; 8GB RAM (up to 16GB); 256GB SSD (up to 2TB); 4.5K Retina display; 500 nits brightness; 1080p FaceTime HD camera with M1 image signal processor; two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports and Two USB 3 ports; Magic Keyboard.The 27-inch iMac (2020) specs$1,799/£1,799: 3.1GHz six-core 10th-gen i5 (up to i9), 8GB RAM (up to 128GB); 256GB SSD (up to 8TB); AMD Radeon Pro 5300 (up to 5700 XT); 5K Retina display; 500 nits brightness; 1080p FaceTime HD camera; Two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports and Four USB-A ports; Magic Keyboard.The 21.5-inch iMac (2020) specs$1,099/£1,099: 2.3GHz dual-core 7th-gen i5; 8GB RAM (up to 16GB); 256GB SSD (up to 1TB Fusion Drive); Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640; Widescreen display; 320 nits brightness; FaceTime HD camera; Two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports and Four USB-A ports; Magic Keyboard.
The latest 24-inch iMacs can not only add a speedy desktop to your home, but also a pop of color as well. A couple of those vibrant color options are $150 off right now at Amazon, bringing the desktop down to the best price we"ve seen. Both the pink and blue iMacs with an 8-core CPU, a 7-core GPU, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage are down to $1,150. For the pink model, you"ll see the full discount at checkout once the additional $100 coupon is applied, but the blue model is already listed at $1,150. And if you"d rather get the upgraded model with an 8-core GPU and 512GB of storage, the same color options are down to $1,500, which is $200 off and another record low.
These iMacs make a bold statement in both style and performance. Apple"s M1 chipset provides a noticeable performance boost when compared to previous models, allowing the new desktops can handle everything from spreadsheet work to video editing to Apple Arcade gaming. We also love its 4.5K Retina Display with a 500-nit peak brightness because it makes photos and videos pop. Not only did Apple redesign the iMac to come in multiple fun colors, but the company also made it much thinner and lighter than before, too. Coming in at under 10 pounds, the iMac is pretty easy to move from room to room if need be.
The 24-inch iMac is a solid choice if you want an all-in-one machine that the whole family can use. There are a few drawbacks, of course, namely its lack of vertical screen adjustment and its reliance on two USB-C ports only. If you get the 8-core GPU model, you"ll get two additional USB-C ports as well, but that still means you"ll need a few adapters and dongles to use all of the accessories you may already have. At least all of these iMacs come with a color-matching Magic Mouse and Magic Keyboard, so you"ll be able to use those peripherals immediately.
When you think of the Mac, the computer that often pops up in your head is the iMac. The iconic desktop computer is a great combination of price and performance. Even with that, every Mac has a release cycle, and you should ask yourself if this is a good time to buy now or wait until later when a new version is released. Here’s what we know about the 24-inch iMac and our buying advice.
The 24-inch iMac was the last Mac to be outfitted with Apple’s M1 processor, which was introduced in the MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini in November 2020. The 24-inch iMac’s performance is on par with those other M1 Macs.
Replacing the 21.5-inch iMac that used Intel processors, the 24-inch iMac not only has a new processor inside, but it also features an all-new, cleaner design with smaller bezels, a larger screen area, and new colors. It also has Touch ID support, an improved FaceTime 1080p camera, Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports,
Pricing for the 24-inch iMac starts at $1,299, but it’s missing a few features that are found on the $1,499 and $1,699 standard configurations. Our iMac FAQ has more details on the differences between the models.
The 24-inch iMac is a great all-in-one computer that offers a boost over the Intel iMac it replaced. If you need a complete computer setup (computer, display, input devices), the iMac is a good way to go.
Since the 24-inch iMac was released in April, it will be a while before Apple upgrades it—it will be in Apple’s lineup for at least a year, and probably longer. The next 24-inch iMac will likely be updated with an M2 processor, but based on Apple’s timeline, it likely won’t arrive until late 2022 or 2023. With that in mind, you can go ahead and buy the 24-inch iMac without worrying about an impending update.
If you think you want an iMac bigger than the 24-inch model, the only 27-inch iMacs Apple sells are in the Refurbished and Clearance store and they have Intel processors. They are older machines and don’t offer the speed of the M1 in the 24-inch iMac.
Rumor has it that Apple could release a new 27-inch iMac with an M-series processor, as well as a new Liquid Retina XDR display and a new design. But it doesn’t seem like it will hit the market any time soon. If you need more size and power in an iMac, you can try waiting, but you might be waiting for a while.
The 24-inch iMac is an impressive computer that doesn’t disappoint. It brings an excellent speed boost over the Intel-based iMac it replaced, and everything else about the iMac is greatly improved, from the design to the display. The $1,299 model has an attractive price, but keep in mind that it’s missing Touch ID and ethernet, and only has two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports. We think the sweet spot is the $1,499 model, which gets you more ports, the Touch ID keyboard, and an ethernet port on the power adapter.
iMac is a direct descendant of the very first Mac, and it’s often the computer that first comes to mind when people think about Apple. The iMac’s all-in-one design is popular and iconic, and it’s versatile enough for both novices and demanding users. It can handle general-purpose and heavy-duty tasks equally well and is ideal for anyone who needs a complete computer setup (keyboard, mouse or trackpad, and display) and wants to maximize workspace efficiency.
If you’re in the market for an iMac, this guide will help you make the right choice. The only iMac in Apple’s lineup is a 24-inch version with a new design and an Apple M1 system on a chip. The 21.5-inch and 27-inch versions with Intel processors have been discontinued. Here’s how they break down.
reports that Apple is still working on two iMacs based on the M3 processor. The next 24-inch iMac could have an M3, while a pro-level 27-inch Mac could have an M3 Pro and Max. These computers may not ship until 2023.
reports that Apple is already working on the M3 chip and it may make its way into the next generation of the 24-inch iMac. A 27-inch iMac is in development but it wouldn’t be done anytime soon.
Spring Loaded event in April 2021. It’s a fresh new take on the iMac and the first update in more than a decade, with a cleaner design, Apple silicon, and a choice of colors.
Processor, graphics, memory, and storage: The 24-inch iMac uses Apple’s M1 chip rather Intel’s processors, and there are several configurations available:$1,299: Apple M1 SoC with an 8-core CPU (4 performance cores, 4 efficiency cores), 16-core Neural Engine, and 7-core graphics processor (GPU); 8GB of memory; 256GB SSD
The 24-inch iMac can have a maximum of 16GB of memory ($200 extra), and you can also upgrade to a larger SSD for an extra cost. These components can’t be upgraded after purchase.
Design: The 24-inch iMac has a much different design than the 21.5-inch and 27-inch models. The bezels around the display are much smaller than on the other iMacs, but it still has a “chin,” a section located below the display that houses the iMac’s internals. The chin doesn’t have the Apple logo on the front. Instead, it’s on the back. Most notably, Apple the 24-inch iMac comes in several colors: The $1,299 model is available in blue, green, pink, and silver, while the $1,499 and $1,699 models are available in the same colors, as well as orange, purple, and yellow.
Input devices: The wireless Magic Keyboard that comes with the 24-inch iMac is different from previous models—it now has support for Touch ID. It is a standard feature in the $1,499 and $1,699 iMacs, but you’ll have to pay extra for it on the $1,299 iMac. An extended keyboard with Touch ID is also available for $50. The 24-inch iMac comes with a wireless Magic Mouse, or you can opt for a wireless Magic Trackpad. The mouse, trackpad, and keyboard come in colors to match the iMac.
Connectivity: The $1,299 24-inch iMac has two Thunderbolt 3 ports that also work with USB-C devices. The $1,499 and $1,699 iMacs have two additional USB-C ports. If you have a USB-A device, you need to buy an adapter, such as Apple’s
Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 are built-in. Apple doesn’t put a gigabit ethernet port on the 24-inch iMac—instead, it’s on the power adapter. But that ethernet-equipped power adapter comes standard with the $1,499 and $1,699 models. It’s not included with the $1,299 24-inch iMac, but you can select it as an option at the point of purchase—and yes, that means you’ll have to pay extra for it ($30).https://youtu.be/f52aOhFu9nA
Macworld’s buying advice: We were quite impressed with the first set of M1 Macs, and the new 24-inch iMac doesn’t disappoint. It brings an impressive speed boost and quiet operation, and nearly every Mac app we’ve tried has run just as well as it did on our Intel Macs thanks to the new Rosetta 2 emulation. And everything else about the iMac is greatly improved, from the design to the display. We think the sweet spot is the $1,499 model, which gets you more ports, Touch ID, and ethernet, but if you don’t need those things the $1,299 model will be plenty good.Ready to buy an 24-inch iMac?
Processor, memory, graphics, and storage: The 27-inch iMac uses Intel processors, not the Apple M1 SoCs found in the 24-inch iMac. iMacs at third-party retailers will have the most current models, while the Apple Refurbished Store also has older models with older processors, but at lower prices than the most current models.
Users can easily upgrade the RAM on the 27-inch iMac, so it’s not as important to upgrade the memory at launch. The machine has four RAM slots, accessible through the back. Apple installs the standard 8GB as a pair of 4GB memory modules, so you can add more RAM after you buy the system. With iMacs sold in the Apple Refurbished Store, you do not have the option to add more RAM at the point of purchase.
P3 color space, which is often used for digital movie projection and the film industry. These screens offer 500 nits of brightness, which is an increase over the screen in older iMacs.
Connectivity: Wi-Fi (802.11ac) and Bluetooth 5 are built-in. The iMac has four USB 3.0 ports, two Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports, a gigabit ethernet port, and an SDXC card slot.
Speed: The Retina iMacs are among Apple’s fastest computers when it comes to single-core performance. When it comes to multi-core speed, Apple’s M1-based Macs are faster.
Processor, memory, graphics, and storage: The 21.5-inch iMac uses Intel processors. Apple offers a variety of speeds, but some processors are older than others, some speed comparisons aren’t as simple as referring to clock speeds.
Connectivity: Wi-Fi (802.11ac) and Bluetooth 4.2 are built-in. The iMac has four USB 3.0 ports, two Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports, a gigabit ethernet port, and an SDXC card slot.
Macworld’s buying advice: For new Mac owners, the 21.5-inch iMac is a decent alternative to the Mac mini, with a good screen and a decent chip. If you don’t have serious performance demands, the 21-.5-inch iMac may work for you.
The KISLANE Travel Carrying Case was the perfect solution. Advertised as a travel case for a 24" iMac, this case looked perfect for my uses. It was such a great relief when I first fit the monitor in the case and found it to have the exact dimensions that I needed. Really, it is like a glove fit, for the monitor!
Sometimes picking a computer to buy—especially a desktop computer—feels like doing math homework. You look at a dozen black-and-silver boxes, determine which one will give you the most speed for the least money, and buy it. You might get excited about finding a good deal, but it’s rare to have a more emotional reaction. That’s why I was surprised by how much I found myself enjoying Apple’s newest 24-inch iMac.
Like the muticolored plastic iMacs of the late ’90s, these new models use colors to stand out from a crowd of samey-looking black-and-silver all-in-one desktop computers and monitors. But more important, they’re fast and functional computers that are a pleasure to use. I just wish the pricing were as attractive as everything else.
After dedicating a decade or so to silver, black, and gold, in the past couple of years Apple has rediscovered the other parts of the visible light spectrum. Just like the iPhone 12 and iPad Air 4, the new iMac comes in a total of seven colors, including the traditional silver and two-tone blue, plus green, red, yellow, orange, and purple options. And the color you pick is obvious from the moment you open the box—its handle is color-matched. The keyboard, wireless mouse, trackpad, and cables in the box are all color-matched, too. Even macOS is customized, with wallpapers and screensavers and a special accent color that are all the same color as your computer. It makes a statement.
There’s also something to be said for a computer that doesn’t look like anything else you can buy. At the moment, this iMac’s white-and-purple front and back look nothing like the predominantly black equipment I already have on my desk. This does make things look a bit mismatched, but regardless, the effect is striking.
If the iMac came in pretty colors but was miserable to use, we wouldn’t recommend it. But like all of the new Apple Silicon Macs so far, the 24-inch iMac uses the Apple M1 processor, and that chip is a great performer that will handle just about anything you throw at it.
When we tested the Apple M1 in the MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro last year, it allowed those laptops to keep pace with some of the best Intel Macs that Apple sells despite using just a fraction of the electricity. It’s even better when you compare it with slower or older Intel processors, such as the ones Apple has sold (and continues to sell) in the old 21-inch iMac that this iMac model effectively replaces. The M1 is great for web browsing and office or school work, and although it isn’t the first thing I’d recommend for professional photo or video editing or coding, it is good enough to handle those kinds of tasks.
The new iMac gets most of the other important stuff right, too. Its 24-inch screen is bright, colorful, and detailed. Its 1080p webcam does a much better job with color and brightness than older iMac webcams—it’s as good as or better than most of our standalone webcam picks. The rechargeable keyboard feels better than our Bluetooth keyboard pick, and the wireless mouse is fine despite the continued positioning of the charging port on the bottom, which makes the mouse totally unusable when it’s charging (I like the trackpad better, if you can swing the extra $50). Even the built-in speakers sound pretty good. Everything that comes in the box with the iMac is somewhere between “good enough” and “great,” whereas many other computers are content to settle for “not awful.”
If you have an older 21-inch iMac on your desk and you’re looking for something to replace it, or if you have an old MacBook that you want to replace with a desktop in your home office, the 24-inch iMac will feel like a bigger upgrade than anything Apple has offered in years. The larger screen, the new color options, the Touch ID fingerprint sensor on the keyboard, and the much-improved webcam are features that older iMacs haven’t had. Before now, replacing an older iMac with a newer one might get you marginal speed increases, but these computers have looked and worked exactly the same way for a decade. Now, it’s nice to have a justification for a computer upgrade that’s more compelling than “my old computer broke.”
All of that said, if you’re currently using a 27-inch iMac and it’s still running okay, you should wait and see what the Apple Silicon version of Apple’s larger iMac looks like. We don’t know exactly what Apple will change or when it will release that model, but reports from Bloomberg (generally a reliable source of advance news about future Apple products) suggest that the system will include a significantly faster processor in addition to the bigger screen. And it’s a safe bet that it will include more ports, as well as support for more than one external screen—things that will come in handy for creative pros and those who do other kinds of heavy-duty work.Apple never met an upgrade it couldn’t charge you $200 for.
The new iMac has charmed me with its personality and impressed me with its ability to get work done, but I’d still have a hard time recommending it to someone looking for a good all-in-one computer. Even the basic $1,300 model is expensive, and it’s missing a few features. The version Apple sent me to test—and the one you’d probably want to buy, if you want to run Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom or most other professional apps—costs closer to $2,000. That’s enough money to buy three of our Windows all-in-one computer picks.
The more expensive iMacs come with four ports, but the cheapest model includes only two. And there are no regular USB Type-A ports or SD card readers to be found. Photo: Andrew Cunningham
The more expensive iMacs come with four ports, but the cheapest model includes only two. And there are no regular USB Type-A ports or SD card readers to be found. Photo: Andrew Cunningham
The $1,300 iMac model has only two ports on the back, its keyboard doesn’t include the Touch ID fingerprint sensor, it’s missing the purple, orange, and yellow color options, and it doesn’t have an Ethernet port for wired internet (not a thing everyone needs, but using more wires can make your Wi-Fi better). Stepping up to the $1,500 model fixes all of those things and gives you four ports on the back instead of two. But even then, all four of those ports are Thunderbolt or USB-C ports, as these new computers eschew the still-common USB Type-A ports and the SD card reader that older iMacs include. It’s great that the new iMac is so thin and clean-looking, but it ruins the effect if you need to tack on a dock or a bunch of dongles to restore the missing ports you need.
If your computer is primarily a tool that you use to do a job, the new iMac is difficult to recommend. If your main question about a new computer is “How well does it run Chrome?” then the iMac shouldn’t be the first thing you look at. It becomes a viable option only when you begin considering ineffable, harder-to-quantify qualities. How much do you want a computer that is also a conversation piece? How much do you need a computer that complements your office’s paint job or the color of your curtains? How tired are you of looking at shiny black-and-silver slabs? These aren’t things everyone needs to worry about, but they are the questions the new iMac is trying to answer.
It’s an iconic word in Apple history, and it’s the first word you see when you boot up the new iMac. It’s a callback to the original 1984 Mac, but it’s also a sentiment that the redesigned iMac is meant to evoke. It’s a friendly welcome that comes at the end of the most thoroughly enjoyable unboxing experiences I’ve ever had.
But what happens after the unboxing is what really matters. The cute colors and thoughtful packaging welcome you in, but a tech product like the iMac has to deliver on its approachable vibe in use too. I’m happy to report that the new iMac is far more than a gimmick. As long as you can stomach white bezels and a hefty chin, it might be one of the most refined Mac products Apple has ever made and best all-in-ones you can buy.
Let’s start with a bit of honesty: I was really unsure about the design of this iMac when I first saw it at Apple’s presentation. Not only was I not a fan of the bottom chin, but I was also hesitant about the colors. For a quick review, there are seven options to choose from: Orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, red, and silver. Each of these has a front and back color — and they don’t match.
And how about the radical new side profile of the iMac? Well, it’s pretty shocking just how thin it is — 11.5mm is thinner than most monitors and unheard of for an all-in-one. While it’s true that you don’t notice the size from the front, it certainly caught my eye every time I’d walk past it. You might think setting this up in a kitchen or bedroom seems silly, but given my work-from-home situation right now, I found myself using it in new spaces thanks to its size.
Now, all that may not change your opinion on the white bezels, but that was never a hang-up for me. I don’t mind them, and black bezels wouldn’t have matched with these lighter colors all that well. If black bezels are what you want, you’ll probably need to hold out for the pro-level iMac when it eventually launches.
With this iMac, though, the colors and white bezels bring a playful sense of whimsy. That might sound like I’m buying into the marketing, but clearly, Apple had a vision for what you were supposed to feel when you use this computer. I have to admit, I felt it.
A lot of that comes from the small details. The gorgeous power cable and included Lightning cord are color-matched to the front side of the iMac, as is the ultraslim aluminum stand. Apple took it one step further, even matching it with a colored wallpaper and new accent colors. That means the salmon-ish orange on my iMac is bleeding through the various transparent elements of the operating system, as well as in highlighted text and buttons.
We’ve come to accept the reality of port-limited phones and laptops, but extra ports are usually one of the advantages to buying a desktop instead. Unlike every other Mac desktop, including the M1 Mac mini, the 24-inch iMac comes with just two Thunderbolt 4 ports located on the rear.
And of course, there’s the MagSafe power connection. It’s a very different implementation of MagSafe than we’ve ever seen — and for good reason. You wouldn’t want your iMac to accidentally unplug. Unlike on a MacBook, it doesn’t have a battery. It’s far more rigid and takes some additional force to connect and disconnect.
You won’t be surprised to hear that the new iMac’s display looks incredible. It’s a stunningly sharp display that looks clear from every angle and will blow you away with how bright it can get.
It’s “4.5K,” or 4480 x 2520 resolution. In a 23.5-inch screen, that makes for an unbelievably sharp image. You can put your face right up to the screen and not see a single pixel. It’s the same pixel-per-inch measurement as the 27-inch 5K iMac, but this screen is even brighter. I measured it at 527 nits at max brightness, which is slightly ahead of its bigger sibling, and brighter than most monitors you can buy.
It should be noted that the 24-inch iMac does not include the option for the “nano-texture glass” upgrade, which is Apple’s specialized matte finish to minimize glare. The 24-inch iMac is a glossy screen, but I found it to be shockingly effective at reducing reflections.
The 24-inch iMac is also a winner when it comes to colors. It hits 100% in sRGB and 90% in AdobeRGB, which matches the 27-inch 5K iMac and Microsoft Surface Studio 2, and is among the best color coverage you’ll find on a larger screen.
The display of the HP Envy All-in-One 32 is the only competitive PC to beat the iMac in this category. Its screen is brighter at 600 nits and has a wider contrast ratio, which is the only aspect of the iMac display that’s slightly lacking.
That’s not something you’ll feel while using the 24-inch iMac, though, whether you’re working or watching videos. Of course, you might miss the extra screen real estate if you’re coming from the 27-inch iMac, but it’s a massive improvement over the 21.5-inch iMac. Those two extra inches make this iMac just big enough to get by in 2021.
The 24-inch iMac uses the M1 processor. And yes, that means it uses the exact same chip as the Mac mini, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air — and now even the iPad Pro. If you’re familiar with how good the M1 already is in those devices, there’s nothing that will surprise you too much here. If you’re worried about the idea of a mobile chip in a desktop, let me put those doubts to rest now. The M1 iMac is very powerful.
The 24-inch iMac is the most powerful implementation of the M1 so far — at least, the configuration I tested was. It’s not by a lot, though. We’re talking about a 3% increase in multi-core performance in benchmarks like Cinebench R23 over the MacBook Pro and Mac mini.
To see what the 24-inch iMac could do in more real-life tests, I used two benchmarks — the Blender benchmark, which is a popular 3D-modeling application, and the Pugetbench Adobe Premiere Pro benchmark. Now remember, Premiere Pro is still running in Rosetta 2 emulation, meaning it’s not a native universal app yet. And yet, the 24-inch iMac flew through the benchmark. Its GPU score was 23% higher than the Mac mini we reviewed earlier this year, despite having the same 8-core GPU. That’s what the improved cooling and airflow will do for ya.
The playback score is particularly impressive, as is the ability to manage multiple 4K streams simultaneously without skipping a frame. It is not at all a bad little video-editing machine, but you’ll still find yourself waiting for exports. The Core i9 27-inch iMac is 77% faster at exporting video than the M1 — so that should give you an idea of what kind of performance we’re talking about here.
It was a similar story in a CPU-bound run through the Blender benchmark. Again, the M1 iMac is not anywhere near as fast as the Core i9 27-inch iMac or any other higher-wattage desktops. It took more than twice as long to render the same 3D images, and in some of the tests, it was upwards of 66% slower. Now, if you compare this against the performance of the previous 21.5-inch iMac, it’s going to run circles around it. I didn’t have it in the office to do a side-by-side comparison with, but the 21.5-inch base configuration was still running a dual-core processor and options for a fusion drive.
And what about gaming on the iMac? It isn’t exactly a strength of the iMac outside of iOS games and what you get with Apple Arcade — though that doesn’t mean you can’t play games at all. You can play games like Fortnite and Civilization VI at Medium settings in 1080p and get frame rates of around 50 frames per second (fps) or so, which is pretty close to what you get on the other M1 Macs with the 8-core GPU.
But overall, the performance doesn’t feel like a breakthrough in the same way that the initial M1 launch did. Putting that much performance in the exact same laptop form factor was what made people stand up and pay attention. But with this one, we were already used to iMacs being powerful. Outside of the HP Envy All-In-One 32, the 27-inch iMac was one of the only all-in-ones with a full desktop chip inside. In terms of raw performance, the 24-inch iMac can’t compete with that yet.
The 24-inch iMac is a new form factor for Apple. It’s the first real product that’s been designed from the ground up with the efficiency of the M1 in mind. They’ve never made an iMac this thin, and like it or not, they’re doing something entirely new here. With that considered, it’s astounding just how much performance Apple has squeezed out of this system.
Let’s start with the FaceTime webcam. It’s 1080p, which is good and is technically an improvement over the 21.5-inch iMac. Actually, it’s the same exact camera that’s in the 27-inch iMac and the now-extinct iMac Pro — but Apple says it’s even better this time around. And it is. Using them side-by-side, the 24-inch iMac handles lowlight performance better, brightening up skin tones and highlights without blowing out backgrounds. The iMac ensures that you’ll never consider buying an external webcam. It’s killer.
The key to the great sound? The speakers use the force-canceling subs that were originally put in the 16-inch MacBook Pro, which allows the system to drive far more air volume from these tiny little speakers. Again, side by side with the 27-inch iMac, they sound a bit more full-bodied.
It’s these features, which include the super-sharp 4.5K resolution screen, which is the exact same pixels per inch as the 27-inch model. That makes the base configuration of the iMac in particular quite attractive. You’re paying a $600 difference between the Mac mini and this 24-inch iMac. When you consider what that buys you, it’s a pretty solid deal.
The 24-inch iMac includes two accessories out of the box: The Magic Mouse and the Magic Keyboard. The Magic Keyboard has finally received Touch ID, a highly requested feature. Up until this point, the iMac didn’t have any of the security features found on other Apple devices, requiring you to use an old-fashioned password to log in and make purchases online.
The Magic Mouse has been slightly redesigned, but not in the way I’d hoped. Like the Magic Keyboard, the Magic Mouse now has been color-matched to the tone of your iMac. The unfortunate shape of the mouse remains, though, making it thoroughly uncomfortable to use for more than an hour or so.
A lot of power users and creative professionals will be tempted by the 24-inch iMac. If you primarily rely on Apple’s own software ecosystem, or on apps already optimized for the M1, you’ll be very happy with your purchase.
Meanwhile, the size of the screen, limited ports, and lack of discrete graphics will leave plenty of room for a true Pro-level iMac down the road. The 24-inch iMac has a much wider intended audience — and for them, the iMac is a near-perfect all-in-one computer.
The primary alternative is the 27-inch 5K iMac. The top-of-the-line model is still more powerful in tasks like video exporting, and the configurations are far more versatile.
Nothing in the 24-inch iMac is user-upgradable. So long as you configure it to your needs to start with, this iMac should last you upwards of a decade. Apple is good about supporting older Mac systems with software updates, and the M1 will continue to be a solid performer many years after the day you buy it.
Absolutely. The iMac is really good at being the iMac for everyone. So long as you can forgive the white bezels, everyone except the most power-hungry creative professionals will be delighted by what it offers.
14.2" Liquid Retina XDR Display with ProMotion / Apple M1 Max with 10-core CPU and 24-core GPU / 32GB unified memory / 1TB SSD / Large Force Touch trackpad / Three Thunderbolt/USB 4 (Type-C) ports / HDMI port / SD card reader / Headphone jack / 11-hour battery (web use) / 3.5 lbsSpace Graycolor
14.2" Liquid Retina XDR Display with ProMotion / Apple M1 Max with 10-core CPU and 24-core GPU / 32GB unified memory / 1TB SSD / Large Force Touch trackpad / Three Thunderbolt/USB 4 (Type-C) ports / HDMI port / SD card reader / Headphone jack / 11-hour battery (web use) / 3.5 lbsSilvercolor
All of today’s best Apple deals arrive with three different ways to outfit your macOS workstation at some of the best prices to date. Leading the way, we spotted Apple’s latest 24-inch M1 iMac at up to $369 off to go alongside refurbished Studio Display listings at $199 off. Plus, Apple Magic Keyboards start from$80 with discounts also including the new Touch ID model. Hit the jump for all that and more in the latest 9to5Toys Lunch Break.
Joining the rest of this week’s best Apple deals, Woot is now rolling out a suite of price cuts across an assortment of Grade A Refurbished M1 iMacs and more. A favorite this time around has the latest Apple M1 24-inch iMac 256GB marked down to $1,100. Down from its usual $1,299 price tag that you’d pay elsewhere, today’s offer is marking one of the very first refurbished discounts period at $199 off. This is $90 below our previous mention, marks the second-best price to date, and the lowest since July. The elevated 8-core model is also down to $1,130 from its usual $1,499 price tag and matching the low from July at $369 off.
Apple’s new 24-inch iMac arrives with an integrated M1 processor with its sleek design including a 4K Retina display with True Tone, as well as a 1080p FaceTime camera. Other notable features include 256GB or more of onboard storage, at least 8GB of RAM, and six speakers capable of supporting Spatial Audio. You’re also looking at the improved 8-core processor and a pair of Thunderbolt ports supplemented by two USB-C slots, as well as Wi-Fi 6 connectivity and Ethernet in the power brick. Get a closer look in our launch coverage and then head below for more.
This morning saw a series of notable discounts go live for refreshing your entire Apple workstation with M1 iMac price cuts, and now Amazon has something in store for those who just want to enhance their existing setups. Right now you can save on a series of official Magic Mac accessories, many of which are landing at new all-time lows. Leading the way we have the Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID at $140. Down from $149, this is one of the very first price cuts to date, $2.50 under our previous mention from April, and a new all-time low.
Several retailers are now offering the latest Bose QuietComfort 45 ANC Headphones for $249 shipped including Amazon and Best Buy. Available in two different styles, today’s offer is down from the usual $329 price tag in order to deliver the second-best price to date. This is $30 under our previous mention, the lowest since Prime Day, and a total of $80 in savings.
These over-ear headphones from Bose arrive as the brand’s latest flagship offering yet with a series of notable specs to match. First up, there’s enhanced active noise cancellation which pairs with an Apple-style transparency mode as well as Active EQ for balanced listening. You can also rely on 24 hours of playback before needing to recharge the QuietComfort 45 ANC, and plugging in a USB-C cable for just 15 minutes will net you three hours of usage in a pinch.